Substitute Teachers’ Appreciation Week

Commentator/Courier Photo submitted TEACHERS APPRECIATION WEEK: Muhamed Ibrahimovic at the front of a classroom in Eagle Butte High School.

By Samantha Johnson,
Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer

Last week was Substitute Teachers’ Appreciation Week to honour the contribution subs make to teaching. While they have the same responsibilities as teachers, subs are often at a disadvantage in terms of familiarity with the school and students. The biggest advantage to being a substitute teacher is flexibility of schedule and being able to walk out the door at the end of the day without taking home extra work.

Corinne Aupperle and Muhamed Ibrahimovic both sub within Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS). Aupperle mostly subs at I.F. Cox School in Redcliff for Grades K-6 and appreciates the familiarity of returning to the same school and knowing the students.

Ibrahimovic, who was an English teacher in Bosnia for six years before immigrating to Canada, prefers working with high school students and subs frequently at Eagle Butte High School.

“At this school I like it because the students are respectful, the staff is appreciative and I’m really enjoying it. I’m not doing it for the experience or financial benefit, I just enjoy it here,” said Ibrahimovic who also works as a Correctional Peace Officer.

The work is not guaranteed, although right now is a particularly busy time. Recently, on a day Aupperle was scheduled to be at I.F. Cox, she missed seven calls from other schools while she was taking a shower. Ibrahimovic talked about getting calls 20 minutes before he needed to be at a school, although added he sometimes gets a few days or even a few weeks notice.

“I can work when I want and not work when I have other things to do. I can take a holiday, or I can spend time with my family. A huge benefit is when the day is done, I’m done. There is no planning, no extracurricular, no report cards or parent-teacher interviews. I do some marking just because I know how busy teachers are, but if I’m busy, I don’t even have to do that. It’s wonderful to just walk out the door,” said Aupperle.

She enjoys engaging with the kids and how much fun she has, although added it can be tiring now that she is retired. A huge benefit for Aupperle, who moved to Medicine Hat to be close to her daughter and grandbaby after teaching in rural Saskatchewan for 30 years, is subbing is a great way to get involved in the community.

“I can be at Costco and there are kids who know me and then I get to know their parents to say hello. I can walk down the street and if there are people out, it’s a rare time a child doesn’t recognize me,” stated Aupperle.